Baby Essentials Not Found On Any Baby Registry

Baby Essentials Not Found On Any Baby Registry

I have compiled a list of unique essential baby items that you won't find on any baby registry. These items were game changers for me and my baby. I hope they are for your family too! 

1. A Heating Pad. Middle of the night blow outs are the worst. Cleaning up the mess in the dark with a screaming baby...not fun. Ease the struggle by placing the clean outfit under a heating pad on the lowest setting. While you clean up the mess the heating pad will slightly warm up the outfit eliminating that cold shock babies get with the outfit change. The outfit will feel like they never took it off and before you know it baby will be fast asleep again.
2. A Dimmable Portable Light.  Talking about those middle of the night diaper changes. A dimmable portable light will make those changes so much easier. No more bright overhead lights or barely visible nightlights. Just make sure it's not a touch on light. Every time your baby kicks the light will turn on & off...talking from experience. Look for the ones with a bottom button to turn it on or a twist to turn on. A flashlight could also work great.
3. An Electric Kettle. Feel like you're constantly cleaning those bottle and pump parts...thats because you probably are. Make cleaning a breeze with an electric kettle that boils water in minutes. 
4. A Microwavable Mug. Similar to the electric kettle. Fill up that mug with water & pop it in the microwave. Boom...hot water for cleaning those bottles & pump parts. I use both my electric kettle & the microwavable mug; it depends on the number of items I have to clean at once. As an exclusive pumper (not by choice)...I know the constant clean & sterilizing schedule. So try and make your life easier now. 
5. A Space Heater. Warm up a cold room without heating up the whole house. Saves money, time, and energy. Easily control that the room reaches the safest temperature; never over heat! We use ours daily for bath time. 
6. Collapsable Laundry Basins x2. Pre-treat or hand wash those baby clothes fast n simple.  
7. A Humidity & Temperature Meter. Tracking houses' humidity & temperature trends is essential for babies health & safety. Based on the meters' readings it turned out that our pediatrician didn't recommend a humidifier. Be smarter than us and track this before baby arrives. 
8. Nest Thermostat & Sensors. Regulating our houses temperature would have been impossible without these essentials. Our babies room would be ten degrees warmer than the downstairs. I knew heat rises...but really ten whole degrees. Having a baby overheat is deadly!! This was actually my first call as an EMT. A poor little baby overheated in a warm house, the fever caused a seizure...it was awful but thank goodness the baby survived. 
9. Ceiling Fans or Portable Fans. Did you know air movement can lower the rate of SIDS. We have our fans running on the lowest setting 24/7. We made sure we had our fans moving in the "summer" setting so the cool air moves downwards. Of course always check with your pediatrician who can set recommendations based on your specific climate and weather. 
10. Cream of Tartar. Yes, you read that right. Most people know the common stain fighter mixture of blue dawn dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, & baking soda. However, for food based stains (like poop from baby formula or breast milk) switch out baking soda for cream of tartar. The enzymes in cream of tartar break down stains faster & better. Just make sure you rinse off this pretreatment really well before throwing it in the wash. Also, like any new pretreatment you will first need to test a small spot. 
11. Home Security System. We have alarm sensors on all the windows and doors. Each door to the outside is double locked with a keypad deadbolt and kick lock. If you own a gun, have extra layer of protection by having a coded doorknob leading into the room where you have your gun safe. All of these security steps keep people out but also keeps little ones in. Bonus tip: have a "no brand" security sign on the front & back of your house. An experienced home invader could know how to override whatever brand name security system you have.  
12. Mini Fridge in Bedroom. Middle of the night pumping; store that milk in the mini fridge.
13. Fire Extinguishers. 
14. Fire Ladder. If you have more than one floor or live in an upper apartment you should consider investing in a fire ladder. Hopefully it's something you never have to use but when you need it, you really need it. 
15. First Aid Kit for Home & Car. 
16. CPR & Choking Educational Magnetic Guide. We highly recommend everyone that will care for your infant has taken a CPR course. It will also be helpful to have a guide for quick reference. We keep one in the kitchen and one in the garage. 
17. Infant Formula. Even if you plan too breastfeed &/or pump. Make sure you have formula on hand. You do not know if you will produce enough milk or any at all. The hospital is only allowed to provide you with about one days worth of take home formula. Bonus Tip: call your hospital you plan to deliver at (if you plan to deliver at a hospital of course) and find out what type of formula they generally recommend. This way you can buy that brand/type beforehand.   
18. Infant Safe Water. That formula has to be mixed with infant safe water. You can also sterilize the water; refer to the CDC website for more information or contact your pediatrician. 
19. Cheap Baby Blanket for Car. All the registries have the cutest baby blankets. No one ever has that cheap, "pee all over it, who cares" baby blanket. When you have to change a diaper in the back of your car you will thank me.  
20. Apple AirTags or Similar Product. Place on your diaper bag, stroller, and whatever else you need to keep track of. 
21. Multiple Diaper, Wipes, & Ointment Brands. Yes, I am sure your registry will have diapers, wipes, and ointment. Having multiple different brands of these items might not be on your radar. Every babys' skin is different degrees of sensitive. What works for one baby will not always work for another. Sometimes babys' skin gets "used" to a product and you have to change it up. Also, diapers are not a one size fits all. A size 8 in your underwear brand may not be the same size 8 in my underwear brand. Same thinking applies too diapers.
22. Glass Container. Diaper changes should be done with plain old water as much as you can (who knew). Baby wipes can be irritating to babies skin; especially with big clean ups. Opt for plain old water in a glass container. Just make sure you don't double dip in that water and to clean/sterilize the container throughout the day. 
23. Disposable Washcloths. I dip the disposable washcloths in warm water and clean my baby up. 
24. Chux Pads. I put these down on the floor to change my little one. I also place them out for easier/cleaner diaper free time. Obviously, the part of the body not touching the chux pad will count for diaper free time. They come in disposable and reusable/washable options. I use and love both options. 
25. Amazon Echo or Similar Device. This won't be for everyone but for our family, its a game changer. Set alarms, set reminders, update shopping lists, ask for the time all by the sound of your voice. We have the Amazon music subscription and we love playing different classical music options for baby. The Echo show can have baby pictures uploaded onto it. It also has the nanit video camera view via an app (you can't turn on/off the camera options though which was disappointing). 
26. Drying mat. -this was one of the first middle of the night purchases I had to make. I have the mat down on the kitchen counter with drying racks on top. 

 

Disclaimer for blog posts: Always check with your pediatrician for medical advice specific to your child. This is not medical advice. No claim is made for the safety and/or recommendation for any specific products or brand names. Blog posts are for entertainment use only. Pumpkin Moo Baby Company assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site.